Differential mechanism.



W. M: PEATMAN.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED (5.29. 1915.

1,2714? 1 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

WILLIAM M. PEATMAN, OF OROFINO, IDAHO.

DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. a, rare.

Application filed August 29, 1916. Serial No. 117,482.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. PEAT- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orofino, in the county of Clearvvater, State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Difierential Mechanisms; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a differential mechanism.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a mechanism by means of which a positive and direct drive may be obtained regardless of the resistance to either of the driven wheels. y

A further object of the invention resides in so constructing the mechanism that it may be applied to the various types of automobiles now in use.

With these and other objects in view, such as will appear as my description progresses, my invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism, parts thereof being shown in elevation however.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the face of one of the hubs.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the face of the sliding hub.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the positions of the grips when the machine is turning a corner.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane at right angles to the axis of the axle, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental detail of one of the grips.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawing includes a housing which is made of two parts 1 and 2 and which is adapted to be rotatably supported on the rear axle so that the portions 3 and 4 thereof will extend from opposite sides.

The part 2 of the housing is secured to the part 1 by suitable bolts 5. This housing is provided with a central chamber 6 and key ways 7 which c mmu icate w th th a n and extend parallel to the axle. A hub 8 is rotatably mounted within the chamber 6 and is provided with a flange 9 which extends outwardly through the part 1 of the casing and is keyed on the portion 3 of the axle. This hub is provided with a plurality of grip members 10 which are arranged on its face equal distances from each other. These grip members are concentric with the hub and form clutch teeth as clearly illustrated. One face portion of each of the grips forms an undercut shoulder 11 while the other face is inclined to form a species of cam. A second and similar hub 12 is mounted in the chamber 6 at the opposite side thereof and is provided with a flange 13 keyed on the portion 4 of the axle and grip members 14 similar to and extending in an opposite direction to the grip members 10. Disposed'between the faces of the hubs 8 and 12 is a pair of sliding hubs 15 which are adapted to rotate with the housing and are splined thereto by means of keys 16 which extend into the spline ways 7 Each hub 15 is provided with grip members 17 which coact respectively with and are of a form similar to the members 10 and 14 but extend in opposite directions thereto so that the cam faces thereof may slide on the cam faces 19 of the grips 10 and 14 or the shoulders 20 may abut against the shoulders 11 of the grip members 10 and 14. These sliding hubs revolve freely on the shaft sections and are held normally in spaced relation by springs 21.

In operation when the housing is revolved forwardly the shoulders 20 of grip members 17 engaging shoulders 11 of grip members 10 and 14 will rotate the hubs 8 and 12 and thus the portions 3 and 4 of the axle will move at a uniform speed regardless of the resistance to either wheel.

When a corner is turned the outside wheel revolves faster than the inside wheel and therefore the outer of the hubs 15 will be forced inward by the engagement of its cam faces with the cam faces of hub 8 or 12, but when the car is traveling straight ahead this hub 15 will be again forced outward by the springs 21, and the interlocking of the shoulders 11 and 20 will be efiected.

When it is desired to stop the car the movement of the housing will be retarded so that the hubs 8 and 12 will have their and the cam faces on outer hub seat in or y 7 against shoulders 11 of outside hub; therefore, the cam faces of inner hub 15 Wlll. ride over the cam faces of inner hub but when the car is righted the hub 15 will be again forcedvoutward by the springs 21, and the interlocking action of shoulder 11 and a will be efiected.

It will be noted that each of the clutch members 15 is individually movable from its corresponding grip member that rotates with a shaft section but that when thedriving casing is reversed, the members l5 abut before they will move inwardly sniiiciently far to disengage the grip members on the shaft sections. i Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is: a

1. In a differential mechanism, a,,tW0 part drive shaft, hubs keyedto adjacent ends of the parts of said drive shaft, a grip member on each of said hubs, another grip member freely rotatable on each of said hubs, a housing freely rotatable on said hubs, the. second pair of grip members being keyed to the housing, and springs normally urging each of the second pair of grip members into gripping engagement with respective first mentioned grip members.

2. A differentiating mechanism comprising a driving member, a pair of line shafts rotatable with respect to the driving member, a clutch member fixed to each shaft, a ,second, clutch member for each of the first named clutch members and rotatable with the'fl driving member, each of the second named clutch members being movable separately from engagement with its corresponding, first named clutch member under the 59 influence of movement of thedriving memher with respect-to the corresponding shaft and only one of said second named clutch members being 1ino'vable at one time from its corresponding first named clutch member nnderthe influence of movementof' the drivmgmember with respect to the shafts.

, :ln testi 'nony whereofil aifix my signature, in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM M. PEATMAN. Witnesses I JOSEPH ,KAUFFMAN, C. D. MoEAoHsoN.

Copies of this patent may be olitaine d for fivge cents each, b'y addressing the flo'mmissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). e." 

